A Military History of China: From the First Recorded Battles to the Twenty-First Century

by David Richard Petriello

Overview

A General History of China’s Four Thousand Years of Military Innovation and Expansion 
The twenty­-first century has been labeled the “Pacific Century,” both in terms of economics as well as military affairs. While South Korea and Japan have stagnated in these aspects, the growth of China since 1980 is unprece­dented in modern history. While its economic achievements are both well known and studied, the rapid development of its military is not. In A Military History of China: From the First Recorded Battle to the Twenty­-First Century, historian David Richard Petriello provides the first English language account of China’s martial history. China’s military prowess extends across the centuries, and includes the invention or first use of gunpowder, landmines, rocket launchers, armored cavalry, repeating crossbows, multi­stage rockets, and chemical weapons—in many cases, long before the West. 
Illustrated with more than one hundred maps and fig­ures, the book traces the general military history of China from the Neolithic Age to the present day. Particular atten­tion is paid to specific battles, military thinkers, the impact of geography on warfare in China, and the role played by technology. Likewise, the work examines the underlying philosophy of why China goes to war. Because China’s mili­tary weakness over the past two centuries compared to the West has given a false sense of China’s potential, a thorough knowledge of the men, battles, tactics, geography, strategies, philosophy, and experiences of war throughout Chinese history are vital to prepare students, scholars, soldiers, and politicians for the return of China as a major innovative and global military power. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594166365
Publisher:	Westholme Publishing
Publication date:	11/20/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	382
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

DAVID RICHARD PETRIELLO earned degrees from Seton Hall University, Montclair State University, and St. John’s University in American and Asian history, and currently teaches history at Caldwell University, New Jersey. The son of a biologist and a nurse, he incorporates science into his historical studies. His publications include Bacteria and Bayonets: The Impact of Disease in American Military History and Tide of War: The Impact of Weather on Warfare. 

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Reference Map xii-xiii

1 Pre-Shang Military History 1

2 Military History of the Shang Dynasty 15

3 Military History of the Early Zhou Period 27

4 Military History of the Warring States Period 55

5 The Rise and Fall of the Qin Dynasty 71

6 Wars of the Han Dynasty 90

7 Road to the Three Kingdoms Period 118

8 Three Kingdoms Period 148

9 Jin to Tang Dynasties 167

10 Five Dynasties to the Fall of the Song 209

11 Military History of the Ming Dynasty 230

12 The Qing Dynasty and the Arrival of the Western Armies 254

13 The Republic of China 292

14 Military History of the People's Republic of China 312

Conclusion 323

Notes 328

Bibliography 338

Index 345